Trump said in a long social media post Tuesday, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that he believes that Ukraine is in a position to win back its territory lost to Russia, marking a major shift from the president’s previous comments.
“After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Trump wrote.
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, New York City, September 23, 2025.
Alexander Drago/Reuters
Trump has previously called on Ukraine to relinquish some of the territory that has been occupied by Russia over the more than three-year war.
Last month, Trump gathered with Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House and said they needed to “discuss the possible exchanges of territory taking into consideration the current line of contact.”
Trump has talked about land “swapping” but it’s unclear what Russia would offer Ukraine in return to keeping some of the Ukrainian territory it has gained since its invasion.
In his social media post, Trump said that the war is making Russia look weak, writing that Russia is looking like a “paper tiger.”
“Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act,” the president wrote.
-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie, Michelle Stoddart and Karen Travers